1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to therapeutic gums; and, more particularly to chewing gum compositions which contain an orally administrable medicament capable of being absorbed, at least in a major proportion, through the buccal cavity, and a taste-masking generator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Therapeutic compositions have previously been admixed with other ingredients and formed into chewing gum or tablets for oral administration. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,168 to Goggin discloses a chewing gum product consisting of a gum base enveloped by three layers of materials, the second of which is a layer of amphetamine salt. The layers also contain sucrose and other flavorings to mask the unpleasant taste of the amphetamine salts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,394 to Gaunt et al. discloses chewable tablets consisting of milled rice endosperms into which a water or alcohol soluble drug has previously been absorbed. The endosperms are then admixed with a softener and chewable granulations to form the chewable tablet. The drug is not released in the oral cavity, on the contrary, it is released upon ingestion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,099 to DeFoney et al. discloses a non-chewable tablet which includes an odor masking, analgesic or nitroglycerin-containing composition which is encapsulated with other ingredients. The tablets are then coated with an adhesive and attached to the oral muscosa whereupon the drug is released over a long period of time. It is expressly taught that the tablets may not be chewed, as inadvertent chewing destroys them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,475 to Witzel et al. discloses a chewing gum composition capable of releasing water insoluble therapeutic materials. Although a sweetener is used as a taste-masker, the unpleasant taste of some medicaments may still be overpowering.
Despite the various attempts in the art to incorporate a medicament in a chewing gum base none have been satisfactory, in part, because of the unpleasant taste associated with the release of the medicament from such gums, and, further because the drug or medicament carried by the gum, although administered orally, is typically active only by ingestion of the drug after release caused by chewing the gum product.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a pleasant tasting chewing gum product which contains a medicament.
It is a further principal object to provide a medicament containing chewing gum which is capable of readily releasing the medicament so that the medicament can be easily administered orally.
It is a related object of the present invention to provide a chewing gum capable of gradually releasing small portions of the medicament for gradual oral administration of the medicament without the need for ingestion thereof.
It is a further object to provide a medicament-containing chewing gum useful in topical or buccal applications.
Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the specification, examples and claims.